Batting

Indianapolis -- Starter Aaron Swenson threw seven strong innings
and got all the support he needed in the first two frames as the
Youngstown State baseball team defeated Butler 12-2 on Friday in
the Horizon League opener for both teams.

Swenson remained undefeated and picked up his fourth win in five
starts for YSU. He held the Bulldogs to one run on four hits while
striking out 10 batters.

Joe Iacobucci's two-run home run in the first inning provided
Swenson with an early cushion, and the Penguins went ahead 9-1
after a five-run fourth. Iacobucci was one of four YSU players with
two hits and one of three to drive in at least two runs. He also
threw out a runner at the plate from left field to end the third
inning when Butler cut the score to 4-1.

"I can't give Swenson enough credit for his performance out
there today," YSU head coach Rich Pasquale said. "He did a
tremendous job in every inning."

"Offensively, we were able to come up with key base hits all
day. We played good, clean baseball all nine innings, and we need
to keep that going. We didn't come out here for just one win."

After Iacobucci's two-run blast to right put YSU up 2-0 in the
first, C.J. Morris singled in Zac McFarland in the second with what
ended being the final run that YSU would need. Casey Holland's RBI
single in the third brought in Iacobucci, and YSU erupted for five
runs on four hits in the fourth to go ahead 9-1. Four of those runs
were unearned as reliever Billy Laing misplayed a ball back to the
mound hit by the first batter he faced.

Jacke Healey hit an RBI double, and Jeremy Banks hit a two-run
double in the seventh as the Penguins took a 12-1 advantage. Grant
Fillipitch hit a solo home run in the eighth for the final
tally.

Jared Wagoner suffered the loss for Butler, allowing seven runs
on six hits in 3.1 innings. Laing allowed five runs on six hits in
4.2 innings of relief.

The Penguins and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader on Saturday
at noon.